Tightening apparatus for cable bridges



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G.'M. WILDIN 81; J. 86 R. J. HARPER. "TIGHTENING APPARATUS FOR CABLE BRIDGES.

No. 424,154. Patented Mar. 25, 1890.

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G. M. WILDIN & R. HARPER.

ENING AP TIGHT PAR S FOR E BRIDGES.

No. 424,154. Patented Mar. 25, 1890.

N4 PETERS. Fhwwumc m hun wuhi nnnnnnn c.

UNITED STATES Y GEORGE M.

PATENT OFFICE.

WVILDIN, JOSHUA HARPER, AND RUBINJ. HARPER, OF

MELVERN, KANSAS.

TlGHTENlNG APlARATUS FOR CABLE BRIDGES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 424,154, dated March 25, 1890.

Applicationfiled August 2,1889- Serial No. 319,572. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, GEORGE M. IVILDIN, JOSHUA HARPER, and RUBIN J. HARPER, citi- Zens of the United States, residing at Melvern, in the county of Osage and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tightening Apparatus for Cable Bridges, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in bridges of the class commonly known as suspension -bridges; and the object of the invention is to provide a simple, strong, and effective tightener or tension device to which the ends of the suspension-cables may be readily connected.

Furthermore, the object of the invention is to provide an improved form of strut or stirrup to simplify the manner of connecting the suspension-cables thereto; and, furthermore, the object of the invention is to improve the arrangement and connection of the bracing rods or cables.

With these objects in view the invention consists in a tightener-or tension device having arrow or double hook-shaped heads which are engaged by the double or looped ends of the suspension-cables.

Furthermore, the invention consists in loopshaped struts or stirrups, through the closed ends of which the suspension-cables extend, whereby when said cables are tightened or loosened they will slip free through the struts or stirrups and allow the latter to adjust themselves tothe different strains; and, furthermore, the invention consists in a continuous bracing-cable arranged to .form the various intersecting braces and connected in a peculiar manner to the various members of the bridge.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar letters denote corresponding parts in all the figures, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bridge embodying the improvements. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, partly broken away to show the connections of the various parts. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the strut or stirrup. Fig. 4 is a side view of a portion of the bridge with the suspension cable removed to illustrate the manner of connecting the bracing-cable to the struts or stirrups. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the tightener or tension device with the suspension-cables connected thereto. Fig. 6 is a central sectional view of the tightener or tension device, and Fig.7 is a similar view of a slightly-modified form of tightener or tension device.

The floor-beams AA of the improved bridge rest in the ordinary manner upon the abutment-s B B, and the piers or posts 0 O are arranged at opposite ends of the bridge, preferably over the abutments, as shown. It will be understood that the arrangement of these parts of the bridge may be varied at will to suit the conditions and requirements of each particular case.

The suspensioncables D are secured at their outer or remote ends to suitable anchors beyond the piers or posts, and after passing over the upper ends of said piers or posts are connected together at their inner or adportion or grip f, and the arrow or double,

hookshaped heads G G, screwed on the ends of said bolt. These heads have hollow interiorly-screw-threaded bodies 9, which receive the ends of the bolt, and ooncaved shoulders or hooks g g are arranged on opposite sides of the said bodies and are preferably integral therewith. 7

Four suspension-cables are shown in the drawings at each end of the bridge, the closed or looped ends of two of which are engaged, respectively, with the shoulders or hooks g g. The closed or looped ends of the remaining two cables are extended, respectively, over and "under the said shoulders or hooks and passed around the body of the head. It will be seen that by this arrangement of the cables the strain is equal on all sides of the head, thereby preventing twisting and undue straining thereof. Thus all cramping of the tightener is obviated.

Loop-shaped struts or stirrups H H are arranged close to the opposite ends of the tightener in such positions that the suspension-cables pass through the closed upper ends thereof before reaching the heads of the tightener, thereby bunching said cables and causing them to act in conjunction. The lower threaded ends of the arms of the struts 0r stirrups extend through the floor-beams and are engaged by nuts, or are otherwise secured in place.

The continuous bracing-cable K is doubled and its closed end is arranged at one end of the bridge, whereby its sides may be crossed and recrossed to form inclined intersecting braces for the various members of the bridge. One arm 7,: of said bracing-cable is carried to and over the top of the pier or post, is thence carried to the bottom of the adjacent strut or stirrup to form the brace L, thence to the top of the other strut or stirrup to form the brace M, and thence to the bottom of the other pier or post to form the brace N. Starting from the closed end of the bracing-cable, the other arm 79 thereof is carried horizontally to the bottom of the adjacent pier or post, thence to the top of the adjacent strut or stirrup to form the brace L, thence to the bottom of the other strut to form the brace M, thence to and over the top of the other pier or post to form the brace N, and thence to the plane of the floor of the bridge, where itmay be secured by an anchor. It will be seen that the braces L L, M M, and N N, respectively, intersect each other, and as they are connected together neither will receive a greater amount of strain than the others, and therefore a fracture is not liable to occur. .Suitable guideeyes or keepers O O are arranged 011 the floor of the bridge, through which the cable is passed, and the cable is coiled or wrapped around the closed ends of the struts or stirrups.

From the above description it will be seen that if it is desired to elevate the center of thcbridge the tightener or. tension device is operated, (by means of a wrench or other suitable tool,) thereby raising the inner ends of the suspension-cables and the struts or stirrups which depend therefrom.

In Fig. 7 is shown a slightly-modified form of the tightener or tension devicc,in which right and left hand bolts or stems are formed integral with the heads, respectively, and are engaged at their inner ends by a rotar sleeve having a female screw-thread.

\Ve are aware that bridges have heretofore been constructed with suspension-cables, stirrups, and brace-rods arranged tocoact in approximately the same manner as above described, and therefore we do not desire to claim this generalarrangement; but it will be obvious that the peculiar manner of adjusting and connecting said parts which we have shown and described enables them to coact without unequally straining any of thcmembers, and also enables the maximum strength to be attained with the minimum quantity and weight of materials.

Having thus described the invention, we claim 1. In a bridge, the combination of the suspension-cables extending over the end piers or posts and connected at their inner or adjacent ends to a tightener or tension device and the loop-shaped struts or stirrups engaging at their closed upper ends with said cables and secured at their lower ends to the flooring, substantially as specified.

2. In a bridge, the combination, with the suspension-cables having loops at their inner or adjacent ends, of the tightener or tension device provided with arrow or double hookshaped heads with which the loops of the cables are engaged, substantially as specified.

In a bridge, the combination, with cables having loops at their inner or adjacent ends, of the tight-cner or tension device comprising the arrow or double hook-shaped heads having female screw-threads and the right and left hand screw-bolt engaging said female screws and provided with an angular portion or grip, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

, 4. In a bridge, the combination of the double or looped suspension-cables arranged in groups of two or more andthc tightener or tension device provided with hook-shaped heads to engage the adjacent closed endsof said doubled or looped cables, substantially as specified.

5. In a bridge, the combination of the loopshaped struts or stirrups having their open lower ends aflixcd to the flooring, the doubled or looped suspension 7 cables arranged in groups and extending through the closed upper ends of said struts or stirrups, and the ti ghtener or tension device arranged between the adjacent doubled or looped ends of said cables and provided with hook-shaped heads to engage the same, substantially as and for the purpose specified. j

6. In a bridge, the combination, with suspension-cables connected at their adjacent ends by a tightener or tension device and the struts or stirrups depending from said cables and connected to the flooring, of the inclined intersecting braces arranged between said struts and between the struts and the piers or posts of the bridge, and consisting of a continuous cable, substantially as and for the purpose specified. j H

7. In a bridge, the combination, with the end piers or posts, the suspension-cables extending over the tops of said piers or posts and connected at their adjacent ends by a tightener or tension device and the struts or In testimony whereof We affix our signastirrups depending from said cables, of the tures in presence of'two Witnesses. inclined intersecting braces L L M M N N, 'GEORGE M. \VILDIN.

consisting of a continuous cable K, doubled JOSHUA HARPER. to form the arms 107a and extending from R. 'J. HARPER. one pier or post to the other and connected to \Vitnesses:

the struts or stirrups, substantially as and MORRIS R. STEWART,

for the purpose specified. Y PHILLIP LATTA. 

